Brake system and method for braking a motor vehicle

Abstract

A brake system for a motor vehicle, having a first hydraulic brake device configured to brake wheels on a first axle of the motor vehicle, a first control unit configured to control the braking operation of the wheels on the first axle; and a second hydraulic brake device configured to brake the wheels on a second axle of the motor vehicle, and a second control unit configured to control the braking operation of the wheels on the second axle. The first control unit is coupled with the second control unit via a communication channel. The first control unit and the second control unit are each configured to receive data that are relevant for the control of the braking operation, the first control unit furthermore being configured to transmit a data signal on the basis of the received data via the communication channel to the second control unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A brake system for a motor vehicle, comprising:
 a first hydraulic brake device which is configured to brake wheels on a first axle of the motor vehicle, the first hydraulic brake device including a first control unit which is configured to control a braking operation of the wheels on the first axle of the motor vehicle; and 
 a second hydraulic brake device which is configured to brake wheels on a second axle of the motor vehicle, the second hydraulic brake device including a second control unit configured to control a braking operation of the wheels on the second axle of the motor vehicle, the first control unit being coupled with the second control unit via a communication channel; 
 wherein the first control unit and the second control unit are each configured to receive data that are relevant for the control of the braking operation, and the first control unit is further configured to transmit a data signal, based on the received data, via the communication channel to the second control unit, and 
 wherein the second control unit is configured to transmit a further data signal, based on the received data, via the communication channel to the first control unit, and when the communication channel is intact, the first control unit is configured to carry out the braking operation of the wheels of the first axle using the further data signal. 
 
     
     
       2. The brake system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first control unit and the second control unit are, relative to each other, able to be coupled with at least partly different devices, to receive the data that are relevant for the control of the braking operation. 
     
     
       3. The brake system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein when the communication channel is an intact, the second control unit is configured to carry out the braking operation of the wheels of the second axle of the motor vehicle using the data signal received from the first control unit. 
     
     
       4. The brake system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein in the event of an interruption in the communication channel, the second control unit is configured to control the braking operation of the wheels of the second axle of the motor vehicle on the basis of the data received by the second control unit. 
     
     
       5. The brake system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one sensor device configured to generate the data that are relevant for the control of the braking operation and to transmit the data to the first control unit and/or to the second control unit. 
 
     
     
       6. The brake system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the at least one sensor device includes a wheel-speed sensor, which is configured to ascertain a rotational speed of a wheel of the second axle of the motor vehicle and to transmit a sensor signal based on the ascertained rotational speed to the second control unit. 
     
     
       7. The brake system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the at least one sensor device includes an acceleration sensor, which is configured to ascertain an acceleration of the motor vehicle and to transmit a sensor signal, based on the ascertained acceleration, to the second control unit. 
     
     
       8. The brake system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the acceleration sensor and/or the second control unit is configured to ascertain a deceleration of the motor vehicle in a longitudinal direction based on the ascertained acceleration of the motor vehicle. 
     
     
       9. The brake system as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the wheel-speed sensor and/or the second control unit is configured to calculate a deceleration of the motor vehicle in a longitudinal direction based on the ascertained rotational speed of a wheel of the second axle of the motor vehicle. 
     
     
       10. A method for braking a motor vehicle, a braking operation of wheels on a first axle of the motor vehicle being controlled by a first control unit, and a braking operation of wheels on a second axle of the motor vehicle being controlled by a second control unit, the first control unit being coupled with the second control unit via a communication channel, the method comprising the following steps:
 receiving first data that are relevant for the control of the braking operation by the first control unit; 
 receiving second data that are relevant for the control of the braking operation by the second control unit; and 
 transmitting a data signal generated based on the received first data from the first control unit via the communication channel to the second control unit; 
 wherein when communication channel is intact, the second control unit controlling the braking operation of the wheels of the second axle using the received data signal; and 
 wherein in the event of an interruption in the communication channel, the second control unit controlling the braking operation of the wheels of the second axle of the motor vehicle based on the second data received by the second control unit, and 
 wherein the second control unit is configured to transmit a further data signal, based on the received data, via the communication channel to the first control unit, and when the communication channel is intact, the first control unit is configured to carry out the braking operation of the wheels of the first axle using the further data signal.